Bridging plug device



INVENTOR ATTORN EY April 4, 1944. M. L. HART BRIDGING PLUG DEVICE Filed Jan 10, 1941 o a 0 I Z ax e 8 Patented Apr. 4, 1944 Bitinonvo PLUG DEVICE Y Merida L; Hart, Qhickasha,., kla.,assignor to? Lane-Wells Company,IJosAngeles, Calif., a cora h u I a i Pee ng Application Jittery, i0, 19:41,1serial1No.- 373,901

roams; gc i otispf" My invention-1' relates to bridging plug devices and among the objects'of my invention are;

First, to provide a bridging plug unit which may,

be used either end uppermost and which maybe used singly or in pairs so that a fluid seal in a well casing may be effected in either direction only "or in bothdirections, as desired;- Y

Second, to provide a bridging plug which may i be constructed entirely of readilyrdrillable mateuary 10, 1941, now Patents 2,279,676 r April 14,

1942, and 2,308,004

of January 12, 1943, respectively; and

Fifth, to provide a bridging plug which is par ticularly simple and economical of manufacture,

adapted to be made of inexpensive material and,

which'may be readily drilled up should -it be;

desired to remove the plug.

With the above and other objects in vview, refto the accompanying drawing,

erence is directed in which:

Figure 1 is a partial elevational, partial sec tional view of my bridging plug inwhich two bridging plug units are connected end to end for the purpose of locking against movement in either direction, the parts of the plug'being shown in the positions assumed when running into the well;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal half sectional view of one of the bridging plug units with the parts in their initial position; v

Figure 3 is a similar longitudinal half sectional view showing the parts of my bridging plug unit as they appear when set within a well; and

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view through, 4-4 of Figure 2. V

My bridging plug, as illustrated in Figure 1,v

comprises two identical units to form a connecting member, A and B, which may be used separately or in combination. Each bridging plug unit in cludes a tubular mandrel I, over one end of which is adapted to telescope a sleeve 2. The overlapping end of the sleeve 2 is externally threaded-to receive a cone 4 which converges from the peripheryof the sleeve to the surface of the mandrel I. The cone 4 is hollow to form a wedgeshaped space in which are positioned a pluralitysfof seg-,

mental locking wedges 5' having teeth in' theirinner peripheries; Between the/base'endsof the wedges 5 andthe end of thesleeve 2- are positioned one or more compression rings 6 which are formed of rubber and which urgethe lockingwedges 5 between 'the coneand mandrel; The wedges 5 areadapted'to coact with annular'tee'thil provided in th'e mandrel l "s'o' that thesleeve 2 maybe telescoped over the mandrel, but is prevented from 'remoyedtherefrom. r l 1 1 I .t The outer' periphery of the 1 Q0116: 4 receives a plurality of slips 8, which arelikewise in the *form of segmental Wedges a'ndare provided with t eth in their outer peripheries. The slips 8=coactin a conventionalmanner with-a surrounding casing, that is,they"we'dge between a surrounding casihg' ahd theconetolock the cone in position; The" slips a'areizi'ineny heldpn the gone by sheer screws 'Ifhe fbjase ends'i of the'ff orpsjfawt a ring III which is slidable on the mandr'e'll 5 an its end j Pposite the sleeve 2 the mendrerlfie e s ve '2'? i h si i n d enli 1 abutment 1 l "and the ring I ll. Movement it e; ring 10 toward the'abutm'entfll axially compresses and radially expands the pe oriog; eeve'-* 1 24 nto contact with a surrounding casing, as: shown in F iguref3. Th e' packing element jis, 'of coiirse1 formed ofrubberor 'anyoif the synthetic resilient materials having rubber-like qualities," preferably materials which are inherently oil-resistant. t 'j' The mandrel l is provided withan internal end flange l3 and thefsleeve 2 is likewise provided with anidentical internal flange l3, the flanges being integral with the mandrel and sleeve,jr e,- spectively. Each internal flange isprovided with a bore I4 jwhich is threaded at its 'outerportion, and reduced slightly in diameter. at itsinnerf portion'to' form afihfiulder; I V

Theinternal flanges l3 are fadapted to receive interchangeably an anchor plug l5, nipple- IE or valve body IT. The anchor plug l5 isiprovided with a bifurcated inner end l8 which is adapted to receive a rod C forming apart of the setting tool, described more particularly'in the above-mentioned copendin'g applicatioILi The an- I chor plug is connected to the settingrod by a shearpin l9. p

The nipple I6 is merely an externally threaded sleeve which is adapted to screw into the bores 14 of two bridgingplug units sothat they may be joined end to end.

The valve body l:l is provided with aiscrewet threaded portion adapted to fit the bore l4 and is provided at itsouter end with a valve seat 20. At one side the valve body pivotally supports a flap valve 2| which is urged into a seating position by a leaf spring 22.

My'bridging plug is operated as follows: If it is desired to seal against pressure from either direction within a well bore, the two bridging plug units A and Bare used. These are joined together by the nipple l6. They may be joined as shown, with the sleeves 2 together, or they may be joined with the mandrels adjacent. The

anchor plug I5 is threaded into the lower end of the lowermost bridging plug unit, the setting rod however being first attached The setting rod.

extends upwardly through the nipple l6 and through the valve body 11, and initially holds the flap valve 2| open, as shown in Figure l.

radially expanded upon relative telescoping of said tubular sleeve and mandrel, one end of said bridging plug being provided with a threaded opening, and the opposite end of said bridging plug being provided with a threaded opening, said threaded openings in the opposite ends of said bridging plugs being of the same size and configuration .whereby said bridging plug may have its respective'ends reversed, and anjanchor plug arranged to be received in the threaded opening in the lower end of said bridging plug.

2. A bridging plug so constructed and arranged 7 as to-beoperative with either end uppermost,

The bridging plug units are set by pulling upwardly on the setting rod while holding or forcing downwardly on the upper end of the uppermost plug unit; For this-purpose each-end of each bridging'plug'unit may be provided with shoulders. 23'which coact' with the setting tube, designated D and shown fragmentarily in Figurel. Y

1 If itis desiredito seal against pressure .in one direction only, only one of therbridging plug units need be employed. If it is desired to seal against pressure from below the unit is posii tioned so that the ,packingsleeve l2 and themandrel are lowermost, that is, in the-position of unit B inFigure 1, a The valve bodyv I 1 :may or may not be substituted for the nipple l6 because the packing sleeve, insures a seal between the If it is desired .to seal against pressure from above, andthebridging plug unit is positioned with the sleeve and mandrel directed upwardly,l

mandrel and the casing.

corresponding to the position of unit A in Figure 1, the anchor .Iiis then in such case substituted for the nipple l6 and it is preferred to use the valve body l1 so that pressurefrom above will not be applied against the sleeve-2. However, the compression rings 6 which operate against the fluid aroundthe-packing sleeve l2. T

locking wedges 5 tendto seal against any flow of Furthermore, hould it be desired to: withhold against extremepressures, it is possible to use the bridging plug unit ingtandem, that is, with.

one or. the other of the units shown in Figure 1 reversed so that they both function to sealj against pressure in the s'amedirection. r

All metal parts of the bridging plug units are preferably constructed of friable ordrillable material such as,cast iron or aluminum alloys so' that, should it be desired to remove the bridging plug later,.it may be drilled up. Various changes and alternate arrangements maybe made withi'n' 'the scope of the appended, claims, in which it is my intention tov claim all. novelty inherent in the invention as broadly as the prior art permits;

I claim; l. A bridging plug so constructed and arranged as to be operative with either, end uppermost,

comprising a tubular sleeve and a tubular mandrel in telescoping relationship to said sleeve, a

frusto-conical member secured to and surrounding said sleeve, slips surrounding said mandrel and arranged to be expanded into contact with a surrounding casing :by said frusto-conical member upon relative telescoping movement of said sleeve and mandrel, a packing sleevesurrounding said mandrel longitudinally spaced from said slips and adapted to axially compressed and comprising a tubular sleeve and a tubular man- .drelin telescoping relationship to said sleeve, a

frusto-conical member secured to and surrounding said sleeve, slips surrounding said mandrel and arranged to be expanded into contact with a surrounding casing by said frusto-conical member upon relative telescoping movement of said sleeve and mandrel; a'packin'g sleeve surrounding said mandrel, longitudinally spaced from said slips and adapted to be axially compressed and radially expanded upon relative telescoping of said tubular-sleeve and'mandrel; one end of said bridging plug being provided with an opening, and the opposite end of said bridging plug beingprovided with an opening, said openings in the oppositeends of said bridging plug being of the same 'siZe and configuration whereby said'bridging plug may have its respective ends reversed,

and an anchor plug arrangedfito be secured'in the opening in plug. C

3.v A pair of bridging plugs each of which com prises a tubular sleeve and a tubular mandrel in telescoping relationship to said sleeve, a frusto-conicalmember secured to and surrounding said sleeve, slips'surrounding said mandrel arrangedto be expanded, into contact with a surrounding casing by said frusto-conical member upon relative telescoping movement of said sleeve and mandrel, a packing sleeve surrounding said mandrel and adapted to-be axially compressed and radiallyexpanded upon relative telescoping of, said sleeve and mandrel, a threaded connecting member securing said pair of bridging plugs in end to end relationship, the outer end of said sleeve and the outer end of said mandrel of each of said bridging plugs having a threaded opening, all of said threaded openings being rof the:

same size and configuration whereby eitherend of one of said bridging plugs may be connected to either end of the other of saidbridgingplugs.

4. A pair of bridging plugs each of which comprises a tubular sleeve and a tubular mandrel in telescoping relationship to said sleeve, a frustoconical mem ber secured to and surrounding said sleeve, slips surrounding said mandrel arranged to be expanded into contact wtih a surroundingcasing by said frusto-conical member upon relative telescoping movement of said sleeve and mandrel, a packing sleeve surrounding said mandrel.

.the lower end of said bridging MERIDA L. HART. 

